1. Coffee

It was a quiet December morning on Baker Street. The road was dusted with a fine layer of snow, and the windows were bitten by a touch of frost. The clouds were a plume of smoke in the air; an angry shade of grey covered London, giving the day an eerie feel to it. The only sound was the far off rumble of the main road, where the many residents of the capital were dashing madly to work, hailing cabs and fuming at the severe congestion that was customary on the busy streets of the city. Not even a rat would dare disturb the peace, nor any other such creature. None, that is, except for Sherlock Holmes.

"Bored!" He screamed, piercing the quiet air like a knife. "Bored, bored, bored, bored, BORED!!!!" he began punching the wall, making fractures in the plaster, which rained down on to the carpet below.

There was the sound of running up the stairs. "Sherlock! Whatever's the matter?" Mrs Hudson stepped into the room in her bright pink nightgown, in her hand a cup and saucer of what one could only presume to be Earl Grey.

"I'm BORED, Mrs Hudson!" Sherlock retorted angrily. "Do you idiots never feel bored in your typically simple lives, doing the same things OVER and OVER day in and day out?" Watching the same people come and go, the same things happen and NOTHING ever changes!" How can you stand it?"

Mrs Hudson smiled absently, and nodded unconvincingly. "Would you like a nice cup of tea? Would that make you feel a bit better?"

"BUT I HAVE TEA EVERY MORNING, MRS HUDSON!"

Mrs Hudson looked taken aback. "Well I have some coffee in the cupboard if you'd prefer that instead?"

Sherlock's eyes lit up. "Yes." He said, distantly. "Yes. Caffiene is exactly what I need. Lots and lots of CAFFEINE!" He grinned at Mrs Hudson. "I'll have as many mugs as you've got in your cupboard, Mrs Hudson."

"...my housekeeper, yes, you've mentioned that several times now, Mrs Hudson. Now, I could really use that coffee, and as soon as possibly, if you please. One can't have quite enough coffee in the morning, now, can they, Mrs Hudson?"